Founded in 1898, ASTM International has grown from a small group of engineers trying to prevent railroad rail breaks into one of the world’s largest and most trusted standards-developing organizations. Today, an ASTM standard is a document that defines the required properties, composition, performance, or testing method for a specific material, product, or system. An ASTM standard is not a law, but rather a voluntary consensus standard . This means it is developed by a panel of experts—including manufacturers, consumers, academics, and government officials—who agree on the best practice for a given application.

Introduction In the world of manufacturing, engineering, and construction, the phrase "It meets ASTM specs" carries significant weight. ASTM Norma (where "Norma" is the Spanish, Italian, Romanian, and Slavic term for "standard") refers to the vast collection of technical standards developed by ASTM International (formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials).

It is not a government regulation, but a voluntary agreement among competitors to compete on quality rather than cut corners. In a globalized economy, ASTM International provides the common language that allows a steel mill in South Korea to supply a construction site in Canada with confidence.

For more information, visit the official website: www.astm.org